Wicklow

The Garden of Ireland

County Wicklow – The Garden of Ireland

The County of Wicklow, located just 16 miles south of Dublin International Airport is known as The Garden of Ireland. The area is famed for its many beautiful formal gardens including Avondale, Powerscourt and Mount Usher, and for its stunning and epic landscape. Popular films such as Brave Heart and Excalibur were filmed in the area, which is also home to Ireland’s famous Ardmore Film Studios. The County of Wicklow is beloved by hikers and there are many beautiful trails of various degrees through the mountains. Wicklow is also home to Glendalough, the ancient monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin and is open to visitors year round.

Powerscourt Estate and Gardens

Dates back to 1731, these gardens include Italianate garden designs influenced by the terraces and formal features of Italian Renaissance villas. Also featured are Japanese Gardens, a stunning Walled Garden with beautiful herbaceous borders, and surrounding woodland known as The Viscount’s Private Walk and American Garden. The Gardens at Powerscourt were opened to the public in 1974 and are very popular among the Irish and foreign visitor alike. According to Peter Coates, author of Great Gardens of the Western World, “Their setting is superb, but their design and execution are worthy of it. Meticulously kept, every part of the garden rewards the closest study.”

Powerscourt Waterfall

Powerscourt Waterfall is Ireland's highest at 121m (398ft.) and is surrounded by woods and specimen trees. Visitors have been coming to Powerscourt Waterfall for over 200 years, attracted by the beautiful cascade flowing down into the Dargle river. It is a favourite area for family picnics, with woodland walks, a playground and masses of space. The 7th Viscount Powerscourt established a deer park here and in 1858 successfully introduced the Japanese Sikka deer to Ireland.

Avoca
Avoca Village was the location of the very popular BBC Television series “Ballykissangel”. The village set includes the Church of Saints Mary and Patrick, built in 1862 and “Fitzgeralds” the local watering hole. Avoca is situated in a picturesque valley, which extends from the Meeting of the Waters to Woodenbridge. Local tourist attractions include forest and hill walks, the Mottee Stone, Avoca Handweavers, craft shops, traditional music, trout fishing, golfing and the Meeting of the Waters.

Sally's Gap
On the road to Sally Gap, there are
spectacular views of the surrounding blanket bog and the
Wicklow Mountains. Sally Gap is one of two east-to-west passes across the Wicklow Mountains and the narrow road running through it passes above the dark waters of Lough Tay and Lough Dan. It also passes over the Luggula Estate, which covers most of the valley as far as Lough Dan and the area forms part of the famed walking trail, known as the Wicklow Way.